Why was Gertrude Platts in this Institution?

[Coromandel]

In the enumerator's list for Boston in 1911, the Diocesan Home appears in London Road, next to St Thomas' Church and a few doors down from the 'Railway Hotel' public house (no street numbers are shown for London Road). The Home appears to have moved since the 1901 census, when it is definitely at 116 High Street. I see from the parish website that work on building St Thomas' Church began 1909 and finished 1912, so perhaps the fallen women got a new Home at the same time?

[Pam Downes]

Hi Coromandel, (and a hi to Arthur re the bit in quotes)
I got distracted earlier so in reply to Arthur's news re the whereabouts of the records for the CPA never had the chance to press 'submit' after I'd typed

A suitable ending to all the brilliant initial work that Coromandel did.
I really must learn how - and then remember! - to search all the 'old book' sites.

so firstly a thank you for the initial information.

The bad news is that you can't presume things from what you read in the enumerator's lists in the 1911 census. Logically, because the enumerator's walk involves a certain (approximate) number of houses you would think they would go so far along a road on one side perhaps including both sides of any side streets, and then work their way back along the other side of the road, again perhaps including any side streets. Uh-uh. Nope. From what I can see, in many cases logic doesn't exist. For example, another enumerator's list which involves London Road further out of town past St Thomas' church, also includes Cuckoo Terrace and Marsh Lane. You have to go along other roads to get to Marsh Lane from London Road, while Cuckoo Terrace to the best of my knowledge is in Wyberton Low Road. (That's what the maps say.)

In this particular list you have
Gibbett Lane (never heard of it, so haven't a clue where it is),
Wyberton West Road - immediately past the (then) railway line, and off the right-hand side of London Road going out of town.
London Road - private houses
" " - Bede Houses - almhouses, on the left-hand side of the road 100 yards or so before the railway.
Two private houses
GWR Gatehouse - that was on the right-hand side of the road, the town-side of the railway, literally at the side of the track, so the crossing-gate keeper never had far to walk to work. (Leastways, I think it was a proper house/cottage and not just a one-roomed building that was immediately to the side of the track.)
Railway Hotel - now admittedly this, like Diocesan House could have changed buildings, but to the best of my knowledge it's always been on the left-hand side of the road out of town, just past the railway.
Two private houses
Diocesan House
St Thomas' church - on the right-hand side
Two private houses -the second one is definitely on the right-hand side, is as it's now a B&B and where I stay when I go to Boston.

My gut feeling is that Diocesan House (from the census) and Norton House (from the map) are the same. Diocesan had 36 people living there, and Norton House is the only substantial building in the vicinity.
Pam

[Coromandel]

Hi Pam, and thanks for the reminder of how careful we have to be about interpreting enumerators' lists (especially, as with London Road, where street numbers are absent, and especially when (like me) you don't know your way around Lincolnshire at all!!!)

One source that might tell us exactly where the Diocesan Home was is the Valuation Office Survey, carried out c.1912-13. There are annotated maps and "field books" at Kew. There may also be other related material in the Lincs county record office: certainly for the Oxfordshire places I've studied, the District Valuation maps (held locally) have more detailed annotations than the ones at Kew, with more of the plot numbers marked. There are District Valuation registers as well (again held locally, at least they are in Oxfordshire!), but these don't seem to give as much detail as the wonderful field books at Kew. If we're lucky there may even be a sketch plan of the building.

[LizzieB]

Wow Pam, you just about transported me there so descriptive was your "description". And special thanks also to Arthur and Coromandal. Had a bit of teamwork going there. I have printed off all your posts, so I can go through them thoroughly. I perused a few pages of Paula Bartley's book which I am interested in enough to buy as well as some others along that line I noticed. Books on transportation (from the wretched prison hulks to landing in Australia and their lives after) of England's social outcasts is another great reading enjoyment of mine. However .... I have already emailed the library at Lambeth Palace making a polite request about availability of these records. 10 day wait for a reply. I also found the Norton House/Diocesan Home scenario interesting but not vital if they are/not. In the meantime I've got tantalising little snippets to look up and keep me out of mischief. I certainly didn't contribute anything at all apart from the query but mightily enjoyed "reading" the discussions between the three(?)/four(?) of you. And once again I thank you all and promise (always keep my promises) to let you know any results. LizzieB

[LizzieB]

As promised ..... ....... from Deputy Archivist, Lambeth Palace Library ".......... however, these are central records, and I think this material is unlikely to contain any information relevant to your query. .......... I have looked at the published reports of the CPA we hold here, but I regret that without detailed searching I cannot confirm details regarding the history and purpose of this particular home." Then goes on about considering employing a researcher. So that's all folks. You all gave it your best shot. Win some, lose some. Thanks again. LizzieB

[Pam Downes]

Thanks for the update Lizzie.
It's the cost of the 'detailed searching' line that even those of us living in the UK have to draw unless we live next to somewhere like TNA or Lambeth Palace and therefore have no expenses to get there and can do the research ourselves. (Though obviously to a degree it all depends on just how close the person involved is to us.)

Incidentally, did anyone's ears burn on Saturday? I was talking at WDYTYA to a lady from Boston called Pat, and she mentioned about this thread. Unfortunately we got interrupted by some customers so I wasn't able to get the full story from her, but she said that she'd become involved with the search but whilst googling she saw the thread with my name in and decided to leave me to it!
Pam

[john bird]

I have just blundered into this thread. I am researching Norton House and found your discussion very interesting. 116 London Rd Boston is being renovated at great cost, it was one of the earliest banks in Boston and in its later life it was indeed a home for fallen women. At another time Norton House was used as a home fore fallen women and later became a fever hospital and still later the national Health Service, Norton Lea Hospital. Norton House was originally the home of the John Jebb who was a solicitor. I am trying to find out when Norton House was built as I am trying to find out the age of a Cork tree which would have been planted when the garden of Norton House was created. This talking shop is great.

[Pam Downes]

Hi John,
Welcome to the forum.

It's a long time since you cooked me lunch. (I'm Grace's daughter, and I, along with hubby and the kids, used to come every day when we were on holiday.)
I had thought of coming to see/hear you next month, but sadly it's no longer possible.

Back on topic........
http://www.
old-maps.co.uk/maps.html (we have to split the URL as the forum AUP doesn't allow direct links to commercial sites)
If you search for London Road Boston, and then select London Road Bakery from the drop-down list you get a modern-day map, with various options on the right-hand side. The 1889 map shows Norton House with the building(s) clearly marked.
I don't know if Boston library have any earlier maps.
They do have 'voters books' (can't think of the proper name for them), but I don't know for what years.

Ah, think I'm getting there.
1891 census has John Joshua Jebb, a solicitor, plus wife Georgina and son George (aka Samuel George William), living in London Road, after which the enumerator has written Norton House. And it's listed after 'London Road (Beer house)' which is obviously the Railway pub (or what later became it). RG12/2575 folio 130 page 9

The 1881 census has John Jebb living next door to John Roberts the innkeeper, but this time John Jebb is listed first. RG11/3219 folio 116 page 10

In 1861 John and Georgina are living in Witham Place. RG9/2336 folio 12 page 17, and they, plus their son, are still there in 1871. RG10/3341 folio 28 page 15

Lincolnshire Archives have a 'Plan of the Norton Hall estate in Skirbeck Quarter' dated 1876. Reference HD/67/24B.

'White's History, Gazetteer and Directory of 1872' (of which the library may have a copy) says on p562 with reference to Ewerby about some land on Skirbeck "now belonging to S H Jebb (sic), solicitor".
Page 788 with regard to Donington mentions Earls Hall in Frampton "of which S H Jebb is lord".
Seems as if S H might be J J's dad, as page 828 (Boston) has John Joshua Jebb "solr (S H & Son) 13 Witham pl".
S H and Son is also listed under Samuel Henry at 22 Wide Bargate.

I can't access my 1876 Kelly's Directory at the moment because I'm waiting for dear son to mend my CD drive, so you might find it quicker to see if the library have a copy of that too.

(Census in the care of TNA, and Crown copyright.)

Pam

[john bird]

Hi Pam, Thanks for the memories of the shop.
Your missive is very professional and helpful. The Kellys and Whites you mentioned backed up your detective work.
I got from Bagley the following.
Norton House was built 1779 for Doc Norton, next owner was Meaburn Staniland, then The Jebb family next Joseph and Mustard May Farrow then a girls school then the diocesan Home of Gertrude. I presume that the tree I am interested in would have been planted around the time of the building of the house.
Thanks again......john

[LizzieB]

And to think I started all this ...... LizzieB